Safe protective apparatus



May 17, 1932. w YOUNG 1,859,122

SAFE PROTECTIVE APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1930 Patented May 17, 1932 NITED .STATE-Sl PATENT "OFFICE- :rormw. rounder rrrrsceunemrnnnsynvanm SAFE rno'rncrrvn APPARATUS Application filed April 15, 1930. Serial 'No.444,49s.

1 patrons, many commercial institutions have resorted to the use of a temporarily incapaci-' tating gas, the projection nozzles forexpelling this gas being usually locatedat strategic points in the bank and controlled by suitable mechanismreleasable by-one or more of the bank oflicials when the emergency arises. V V I Thisarrangement, since its adoption, has proved highly satisfactory and has served not only to materially reduce financial losses on the part of the bank, but also to conserve life which otherwise wouldbe sacrificed in defense of bank property. The usefulness of this form of protection is somewhat limited in its applicatiomhowever, since the release ment of the gas is predicated on the presence of someone in thebank. r A

One of the aims and purposes of thisinvention therefore, is to extend the range of 30 gaseous property defense so as to embrace not only the bank itself but likewise its safes, vaults and other depositories byproviding the doors of these receptacles with a gas generating devicewhich will'be automatically set into operation whenever access to the safes or vaults is sought by any means other than through the normal operation of the combination mechanism.

Another object'of this invention is to equip the safe or vault door with a toxic agent dispersing means including a pair of normally cocked firing pins adapted to co-act with suitably arranged detonator caps, the firing pins being operatively connected with the front plate of the safe, and also with the combination mechanism, so that if the safe door is opened, either by mutilation of the combination or removal of the front plate, one of the firing pins will be released to explode the detonator and start the gas dispersing into operation. I i

Another object of this invention is to provideja protective apparatus of the character indicated which may befreadily-a pplied to safe or vault doors, at the time of manufacture, or to existing structures with a minimum expenditure of time, labor and material; and to furnish a gas protective installation embodying but few parts which is positive in its action and effective to instantly liberate a toxic gas should the safe door he unlawfully tampered with. I

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists in certain novel details of construction, combination and arrangementofparts to be more particularly hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Briefly stated, this invention comprises a gas generator adapted to contain an incapacitating gas producing substance and a combustible charge to expel the gas under pressure, the generator being'mounted on the rear wallof the safe or vault door, a'normally inoperative ignition means in connection with the generator to fire the combustible mixture and an' ignition release mechanism automatically functioning to render the ignition means operative upon removal of the front plate of the safe or when the door of the safe-is forced by mutilation of the c'ombina tion mechanism. i

Referring more particularly to the accom panying drawings in which corresponding parts are indicated by similar reference char.-

-actersz a Fig. 1, is a fragmentary sectionized view partly in elevation-illustratingthe installation constituting the subject matter of this application as operatively applied to the usual form of safe doors.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse section partly inelevation of the structure shownvin Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectionized detail partly in elevation illustratingthe assembly for the inner end of the control rod connected tothe front plate'of the safe,

Fig. 4:, is asectionized detail taken on the' line 44 of Fig. 3,

means Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectionized detail taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectionized detail partly in elevation taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,

Due to the precautionary measures adapted by some of the leading safe manufacturers for the purpose of preventing accessto the safe by battering off the operating knob of the combination mechanism, bandits have resorted to the practice of opening the safe door by inserting a can-opener,.,or. a like instrument, between the frame of the door and upper edge of the front plate, and prying said plate from the frame, thus gaining access to the bolt operating means. It is: to meet this contingency that the releasing mechanism for the ignition means-of the gas generator has been connected with both the ing frame D. The main bolt of the door (not shown) is controlled by the customary combination mechanism E, including shaft F and operating knob G- Coming now to the invention under consideration to facilitate further discussion it is deemed advisable. at this point, to state that hereinafter this; invention will be considered in the order of its principal components, "namely, gas generator, ignition means, and automatic; ignition controls.

' Gas generator In order to generate a gas of a temporarily incapacitating nature there is. provided a generator H consisting of a -.metallic contain'er (1), which issuitably bolted or otherwise attached to the rear plate C of the door as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and def the drawings. In the present instance, the container is rectangular in configuration, though of course this shape may be varied accord ing to the construction of the. vault door.

The top of the container is formed with two laterally spaced'aligning openings and (3) respectively and also with outlets (4), the latter serving to permit escape of the toxic gas. Each of the openings (2) and (3) is surrounded by a vertical sleeve (5), one portion of which extends into the interior of the container, the otherto a point above its top as shown in Fig.5 of the drawings. 7 The lower end of each sleeveis formed with a closure (6) having a detonator'seat while the opposite end is fitted with a guide collar (7 for a purpose hereinafter to be set forth.

This container is adapted to be suitably charged witha combustible mixture and an incapacitating gas producing material, the combustible mixture functioning upon ignition as a propellant to force. the toxic gas through the. outlet openings of the container to theexterior atmosphere as will be understood without further discussion.

4 I g m'tion meams In orderto fire the combustible mixture within the gasgenerator and effect liberation of the gas, the sleeves (5) of the generator Automatic ignition controls For the purpose of releasing plunger (9) when the. front plate of the safe door is tampered with, the upper end of plunger (8) connected to a shearable tension cord (13) which extends upwardly from the plunger and passes through the slot (15) in bearing block (16), which latter is secured to the rear plate C of thedoor adjacent its upper edge. The free end of the cord is connected to an anchoring pin (14) projecting from the rear plate C above block (16), as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. T

The bearing block (16 s centrally formed with an annular opening (17) in which is slidably positioned a shearing head (18). said head having a peripheral slot. (20) tangentially disposed with respect to the groove (15) in block (16), so that the cord (13) in passing through slot (15) also extends between the wallsof slot (20) as clearly shown in Fig/1 of the drawings.

The head (18) is affixed to the inner end of a rod (21) which extends transversely through the door from the bearing block 16) to front plate B. The outer-end of rod (21) is secured to the front plate 13 so as to lie flush with the outer surface of said plate. In this connection. it is to be understood of course,the attachment of the outer end of the rod, (21) to the front plate'of the safe door must be carefully made for concealment purposes since detection of the connection might seriously impair; the effectiveness of this invention.- 1

With the parts assembled as just described it will be evident removal of the front plate B of the safe door retracts head (18) and as the latter moves rearwardly from its seating, owing to the engagement of the walls of the groove (20) in said head with tension cord (13), it shears said cord and permits the plunger (8) to assume a firing position which.

explodes th detonator cap and ignites the combustible mixture in the gas generator as will be understood without further discuss1on.

The plunger (9) is maintained in an armed position by means of the lever (25), which is pivotally connected at its inner end as at (19) to a bracket (22) aflixed to the sleeve (5) of plunger (8) as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The free portion of the lever extends through a recess (23) in plunger (9) and is then suitably bent to engage the shaft F or other suitable part of the combination mechanism as at (24).

With this arrangement any attempt to enter the safe through the combination housing will disengage the lever (25) from its position in recess (23) permitting firing pin (11) of said plunger to fire the detonator (12) and ignite the combustible mixture as hereinabove described.

This concludes the discussion with reference to the installation shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive and in the light thereof it is clear, that insofar as this particular type of safe door is concerned a suitable gas defense is provided having all necessary facilities to automatically release a temporarily incapacitating gas should the safe be entered either through mutilation of the combination housing or by removal of the front plate of the safe door.

In conclusion it is apparent this invention provides a simple, easily installed, protective device for safe doors and the like which when any unlawful entry of the safe is attempted will function to release a noxious gas which will temporarily incapacitate the intruder.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1

1. A gas protective assembly applicable to safe doors and the like and comprising a gas emitting apparatus adapted to emit an incapacitating gas, means for setting said apparatus into operation, said means embodying an ignition device, a flexible member engaging and normally retaining said device in inoperative position, and a cutting device adapted to sever said flexiblemember and release said ignition device, said cutting device being rigidly connected to and operable 3y displacement of the front plate of said oor.

2. A gas protective assembly applicable to safe doors and the like, comprising a gas emitting apparatus adaptedto emit an ining said head tothe front plate of the safe door.

3. A gas protective assembly applicable to safe doors and the like, comprising a gas emitting apparatus adapted to emit an incapacitating gas, means in connection with said apparatus for setting the latter into operation, said means including an ignition device, a flexible member engaging and normal- 1y retaining said device in inoperative position and a. cutting device adapted to sever said flexible member to release the said ignition device, said cutting device including a movably mounted head, means rigidly connecting said head to the front plate of the safe door, and cutting means carried by the head and coacting with said flexible member.

4. A gas protective assembly applicable to safe doors and the like, comprising a gas emitting apparatus adapted to emit an incapacitating gas, means in connection with said apparatus for setting the latter into operatlon, said means including an ignition device, a flexible member engaging and normally retaining said device in inoperative position and a cutting device adapted to sever said flexible member to release the said ignition device, said cutting device including a longitudinally movable cutter-head, said flexible member being adapted to pass through the groove of said head, and means rigidly connecting said head to the front plate of the safe door.

JOHN W. YOUNG. 

